The FAFSA is an application to be completed annually by anticipating college students to determine their eligibility for federal student financial aid. This report provides a summary of financial aid applications submitted by AISD seniors in 2015.

Through their work at the University of Southern California (USC) with students in a face-to-face mentoring program, the authors understood that many qualified low-income and/or first generation students were slipping through the cracks when it came time to apply to college. These were students who had done well in school and had met college…

High school counselors generally feel prepared to advise students about community colleges and believe these institutions offer relatively easy application and enrollment processes. However, results of a national survey conducted by NACAC showed that many counselors feel less knowledgeable about transfer policies at area four-year colleges and…

Researchers investigating progression to higher education (HE) have suggested that student and school characteristics (e.g., gender, prior academic attainment, social background, type of school) are important factors affecting HE participation and the type of HE institution attended (Chowdry et al., 2013; Boliver, 2013; Vidal Rodeiro, Sutch, &…

Pre-college advising programs exist in most disadvantaged high schools throughout the United States. These programs supplement traditional advising by high school guidance counselors and attempt to help underrepresented and disadvantaged students overcome the complexities of the postsecondary admission and financial aid processes. Existing…

A growing body of literature has demonstrated that the college preparation and admissions process is a powerful force in the lives of some high school students. However, mounting evidence illuminates unintended consequences of the college admission pressures on students. This study endeavored to gain an understanding of the lived experiences of…

The current study examines how the integration of SAT scores with context information about students' neighborhood and high school from the College Board's Landscape™ resource can provide institutions with a nuanced perspective on students' expected performance and retention. This allows institutions to identify incoming students that may benefit…

Many survey responses of CTE and non-CTE seniors were very similar, including their plans to enroll in postsecondary education. Some differences in responses may be explained by differences in economic status.

Race-based affirmative action policies are widespread in higher education. Despite the prevalence of these policies, there is little consensus on how affirmative action policies affect students either before they reach college or after they matriculate into college. This study provides new evidence on the benefits of affirmative action policies…

Pre-college advising programs exist in most disadvantaged high schools throughout the United States. These programs supplement traditional advising by high school guidance counselors and attempt to help underrepresented and disadvantaged students overcome the complexities of the postsecondary admission and financial aid processes. Existing…

"Find the Fit" advising increased the number and selectivity of colleges applied to by disadvantaged students in a federal college access program. "Find the Fit" includes customized information about college going and costs, text messaging of key application and financial aid deadlines, and related advisor training. These…

A synopsis of students course taking and the type of diploma chosen by high school students, also known as their Individualized Learning Plans (ILP), provides a holistic view of student's preparation in high school, and serves as a reliable indicator of their college and career readiness. While ILPs are mandated in over 30 states, limited work has…

This report explores the availability of college readiness supports in LAUSD high schools. We draw on data collected from high school counselors and other organizations to describe the types of available supports and the barriers schools face in providing students the help they need with the college application and financial aid process. We…

Where students go to college, not just whether they go, may be important to their educational and career success. Yet half of high school students from disadvantaged families "undermatch"--they do not enroll in college at all or not at the most selective college they could. The U.S. Department of Education tested a set of promising,…

In this article Adrienne J. Keene employs the portraiture methodology to explore the story of College Horizons. She examines this precollege access program for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students to understand how a program rooted in Native cultures and identities can not only provide a space to create knowledge…